May 18, 2009

Let's Eat Jicama

I don't think there was too much excitement at my house yesterday when I said, "Let's eat jicama." The reactions were more like, "What's that?"

Jicama. Pronunciation: HIH-kuh-ma Equivalents: One jicama, cubed = 2 cups Notes: This tan-skinned tuber has a mild, nondescript flavor, but a nice crunchy texture. It's a good, cheap substitute for water chestnuts in stir-fries. Since it doesn't discolor, it's also a great vegetable to serve raw on a crudité platter. Peel it before using. --foodsubs.com

Since I'm on a Bobby Flay kick, I decided to try his recipe for Jicama Slaw. I thought it would contrast nicely with the main course, Maple-Glazed Pork Roast with Smoked Paprika. Katie helped by grating the jicama, but she kept stopping to ask, "Are you sure you want the whole thing in here?" She was right to be wary. The slaw was only so-so. I'm not really a huge cole slaw fan either. The jicama slaw would go better with fish tacos, a pupusa, or maybe some juicy pulled pork barbecue, but I get points for trying something new. I've made the pork with maple syrup glaze before; this time I tried a variation adding paprika, cinnamon, and cloves.

For dessert, Coconut Layer Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Related: Here's a cake cutting guide (some people really need it!): To cut round tiers, move 2" in from the outer edge; cut a circle and slice 1" pieces within the circle. Move in another 2", cut another circle, slice 1" pieces, and so on until the tier is cut. The center cores and small top tier can be cut into 2,4,6 pieces, etc. depending on size.

Porter's brother Eric is home from school for a few weeks. He came over for dessert and said it was the best thing he'd eaten all semester. Flattery like that will get you places with a spinster librarian, so I tried to sidle up close to him and made him watch Big Train sketches on YouTube with me. Charming.